In many wellbore applications, sand laden fluids are filtered to return a clean fluid to the surface or to dehydrate a slurry at a desired location in a wellbore. The filtering is performed by a filtering media created from a wire wrapped or wire mesh structure. This type of filtering media is susceptible to plugging over a period time which can cause premature job failure.
Attempts have been made to reduce plugging by using powered tools associated with the filtering media. For example, screens have been designed with rotatable sleeves to help reduce plugging. Other screens utilize movable components that can be actuated to close off the screen during certain operations. However, such devices have limited effectiveness. Additionally, these devices tend to be complex, expensive devices requiring a power source for operation.